Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender ageing and care: A literature study

Abstract

There is a burgeoning body of research on ageing and end-of-life care in the LGBT community since the recognition that these communities are now ageing (Almack, 2007; Almack, Moss & Smith, 2015; Almack, Seymour & Bellamy, 2010; Concannon, 2009; Ward, Pugh & Price, 2010; Ward, Rivers & Sutherland, 2012; Westwood, King, Almack, Yui-Suen & Bailey, 2015). Furthermore, end of life care (EOLC) is increasingly associated with the experience of being old, with people in developed and developing countries living longer and dying more slowly (Holloway & Taplin, 2013), and with the majority of deaths occurring over the age of 65 and mortality rates being highest amongst the over 85s (Ruth & Verne, 2010). There are still gaps to address within this body of research; accessing the oldest generations is a challenge and often the focus of research has been on the "young old" (ages 50-69) and reflects white, middle-class, affluent, urban populations (Frederick-Goldsen & Muraco, 2010). There are also particular gaps in relation to the health issues of lesbian and bisexual women (Jones, 2012; Traies, 2012).